Locomotive door construction



Sept. 2, 1941. M. P. BLOMBERG h LOCOMOTIVE DOOR CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug.2, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet l SePt- 2, w41- M. P. BLOMBERG 2,254,470

LOCOMOTIVE DOOR CONSTRUCTION Filved Aug. 2, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 2Jmaentor www @za/my y Sept- 2, 1941- v M. P. BLOMBERG 2,254,470

LOCOMOTIVE DOOR CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 2, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 g- I 7Bu l w I f t/V 9i ttomegs Patented Sept. 2, 1941 I Unire LCOM'VE DOORCONSTRUCTION Martin l?. Blomberg, Hinsdale, Ill., assigner to GeneralMotors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a

corporation of Delaware Application August 2, 1940, Serial No. 349,711

(Cl. 10d- 2) 8 Claims.

This invention relates to a door construction particularly adapted foruse in the front end of locomotive bodies of the Diesel-electric type,such as are used in high-speed passenger service. Such bodies are-usually made of stream-lined shape to lessen wind resistance and toimprove their appearance.

It sometimes becomes necessary to couple a car or another locomotive tothe front end of a locomotive of this type, and when this is done,vit isdesirable to provide an opening in the front end of the locomotive bodyto permit passage into such car or other locomotivev coupled thereto.Provision must be made however for closing such opening when it is notto be used.

It is an object of my invention to provide a movable door frame whichmay be mounted in such an opening in the front end of a locomotive body,in which frame a door is supported for swinging movement. Normally theframe is held in a position wherein it and the door supported in it willconform to the shape of the front end of the locomotive body, so as notto destroy the stream-lined characteristics or appearance of the frontend of the body. However, when the locomotive is to have a car oranother locomotive coupled thereto, the frame may be swung outwardly toa position wherein it and the door will lie relatively close to andparallel with the end of the other locomotive or car, and when the dooris swung to open position, the sides and top of the frame will serve toform a passageway through which entry may be made into the body of thenext car. Sealing means are provided to tightly close all of theclearance spaces between the door and the frame, and between the frameand the body when the frame isv in either of the two positions. l

Other objects and advantages willbe apparent upon reference to thefollowing description and accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is aperspective view of the front end of a locomotive body, showing myimproved door construction applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken through the front end of thebody on the longitudinal center line thereof.

Fig. 3 is a vsectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view, taken through the frontend of the body on the longitudinal center line thereof, at the top ofthe door, showing the parts on a larger scale.

Fig. l5 is a sectional view somewhat similar to Fig. 4 but showing theparts in a diiierent position with respect to each other.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line iof Fig. 3.

Fig. '7 is a sectional view taken on the line 1-1 of Fig, 2.

The numeral l0 -designates the body of a locomotive of theDiesel-electric type, the front end I2 of which is rounded and slopedrearwardly as shown in Fig. l. A rectangular opening is formed in theiront end of the body, and a door frame designated generally by thenumeral I4 is located in this opening, being pivotally connected at itslower end to the platform I6 of the locomotive by hinges I8.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 6, the bottom part of this frame is constructedof a plate 2U having an upturned flange 22 formed on it, and a plate 24provided with a downturned flange 25, said anges being welded together.Spacing said plates apart and welded to each of them is a member 28,which is set at an angle so that it will extend parallel with the frontend I2 of the body when the door frame is in the position shown in Figs.2, 6 and 7, which will be designated the open position. The plate 24extends forwardly beyond the member 28 and has welded to its front end aface plate 30 which extends vertically when the frame is in the openposition. A relatively narrow plate 32 is Welded to the face plate 30and to the member 28 at a point above the lower edge of the latter.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 7, the sides of the door frame are formed ofU-shaped side member 36 which have face plates 38 welded to their frontedges and members lil welded to their rear surfaces, there beingobliquely extending anges 42 formed on the members 49. As shown in Fig.2, the members are of triangular shape, being of greater width at 'theirupper ends, the flanges d2 extending at an angle with respect to theside members 36, for a purpose to be presently described. The lowerportions of the side members 3B are welded to the ends of the plates 20and 24 which form the bottom of the door frame.

The top portion of the door frame structure is best shown in Figs. 2, 4and 5, and consists of upper and lower plates 44 and 45 having a faceplate 48 welded to their front edges and an angularly extending narrowplate 50 welded to their rear edges, there also being a U-shaped brace'member 52 welded to the upper and lower plates at the intermediateportion thereof. A member 54 having an upstanding angularly extendingflange 56 formed on it is secured to the rear por- A door indicatedgenerally by the numeral 60 is mounted in the frame I4 for swingingmovement therein. As shown in Figs. 3 and 7, this door is formed of arear plate 62, the side edges of which are bent forwardly as at 64, theninwardly to form shoulders 66 and then forwardly again to form flanges68, to the edges of which are welded a front plate 'I0 which is taperedrearwardly from each side of the vertical center line to conform to theshape of the front end of the body. At the top and bottom of the door,L-shaped members 6I are welded to the front plate 'I0 and to forwardlyextending flanges 69 formed on the rear plate 62, the members 61providing shoulders 1I. The door is pivotally connected to the frame byhinges 'I2 which are Welded to the rearplate 62 and to the side members36.

To close the necessary clearance spaces between the frame and the doorwhen the latter is in closed position, a sealing strip composed of acore 'I4 of any suitable resilient material such as rubber encased in arubberized fabric sheath 'I6 extends all around the Ainside of the doorframe, being held in place by a strip 'I8 which issecured to the doorframe by fastening devices 80. At the bottom of the door, this sealingstrip is held in a groove formed between the plate 24 and a rearwardlyextending flange 82 formed on the face plate 30, at the sides of thedoor it is held in grooves formed between the side members 36 andrearwardly extending flanges 84 formed on the face plates 38, and attheY top it is held `in a groove formed between the lower plate 46 and arearwardly extending flange 86 formed on the face plate 48. As shown,when the door is in closed position, the shoulders 66 and 'II bearagainst this sealing strip, compressing it slightly so that anabsolutely weathertight seal is provided al1 around the edges of thedoor. rIhe door is held in closed position in the frame by a latch 88operable from the outside by a handle 90 and from the inside by a handle92. When the door frame is in the closed position shown in Fig. 1 andthe door is not to be opened, it. may be locked in that position bybolts 93 which are carried by the door and which are slidable intoopenings formed in the side member 36. Y

Under ordinary operating conditions, the door frame I4 is held in theclosed position shown in Fig. 1 and in dotted lines in Fig. 2. When thefront end of the locomotive is to be coupled to a car or to anotherlocomotive, the door frame.

is pulled out to the open position shown in Figs. 2, 6 and 7. In thisposition, its front face extends vertically and will lie quite close tothe end of the body of the other locomotive or car, and when the door 60is opened the space between the members 40 will form a passagewayleading from the interior of the locomotive body into the interior ofthe body of the car or other locomotive coupled thereto, permittingpassage from one into the other.

As shown in Fig. 4, a member 94 having a downwardly and forwardlyinclined ange 96 formed on it is secured to the rear surface of thefront end I2 of the body at the top edge of the opening through whichthe door frame projects. A spacer 98 is attached to the ange 96, andclamped between this spacer and a supporting bar |00 are the edges of arubberized fabric sheath |02 which encases a resilient core |04 formedof soft rubber or other suitable material. Clamped against the otherside of the bar |00 by a strip |06 are the edges of a rubberized fabricsheath I 08 which encases another resilient core IIO. The assemblyconsisting of the strip |06, supporting bar |00 and the edges of thesheaths |02 and |08 is secured to the spacer 98 by fastening devicesII2. The same type of sealing unit is provided around the bottom andside edges of the opening in the front end of the body, being secured toa spacer II4 which in turn is welded to the inner surface of the frontend I2 of the body.

When the door frame is in closed position, as shown in Fig. 5, in whichposition it may be held by any suitable means, the upper edge of theface plate 48, which projects above the upper plate 44, will bearagainst the sheath |02 and will compress the resilient core |04 to forma weather-tight seal at this point. A batten strip II6 welded to theouter surface of the face plate 48I projects beyond the edge of thelatter and bears against the front end I2 of the body, covering up thecrack between the edges of the latter and the face plate 48 to improvethe appearance. Similarly, at the sides of the door frame, the edges ofthe face plates 38 which project beyond the side members 36 Will bearagainst the sheaths |02 at each side and will compress the resilientc'ores I 04 to form a tight seal at these points, there being battenstrips II"I welded to and projecting beyond the face plates 38. At thebottom of the door frame, when the latter is in closed position as shownby the dotted lines in Fig. 6, the portion of the yface plate 30 whichprojects below the plate 32 bears against the sheath |02 and compressesthe resilient core |04 to form a tight seal at this point, there being abatten strip |I8 welded to the face plate, the

lower portion |20 of the strip being bent outwardly so that waterrunning down they sloping outer face of the door and frame will beprevented from entering the clearance space between the bottom edge ofthe face plate 30 and the plate beneath it which forms a part of thefront end I2 of the locomotive body.

When the door frame is in open position, as shown in Fig. 4, theupstanding flange 56 bears against the sheath I 08 and compresses theresilient core IIO between it and the supporting bar |00 to form aweather-tight seal, while at the sides of the door frame, as shown inFig. 7, the flanges 42 bear against the sheath |08 and compress the coreI I0, while at the bottom, as shown in Fig. 6, the lower portion of themember 28 bears against the sheath |08 and compresses the core I I0forming a tight. seal at these points.

From the above it Will be seen that I have provided a door constructionfor locomotives which may be moved to closed position when itis not tobe used, and while in that position will conform generally to the shapeof the front end of the locomotive. When the locomotive is to have a caror another locomotive coupled to its front end, the door and its framemay be pulled out to open position, wherein they will extend relativelyclose to the end of the car or other locomotive, and when the door isswung to vopen position in the frame, the side walls of the frame willform a passageway through which entry may be made to the car or otherlocomotive. In either position, the necessary clearance spaces betweenthe frame and the front end of the body are tightly sealed to preventthe admission of water or air and likewise wh'en the door is held inclosed position in the frame, the spaces -between it and the frame aretightly sealed for the same purpose.

It will be understood that the invention may be embodied in otherspecific forms without departing from the spirit or essentialcharacteristics thereof. 'Ihe present embodiments are therefore to beconsidered in all respects as merely illustrative and not restrictive,the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims ratherthan by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within themeaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended tobe embraced thereby.

I claim:

1. In combination with a locomotive body having an opening` formed inthe front end thereof, a door frame movably supported in said opening,said frame having its outer surface arranged to extend substantiallyiiush with the front end of the body when in retracted position, andbeing adapted when moved to extended position to project outwardly frornthe body to form an enclosure through which ingress or egress may be hadt the interior of the body, and a door swingably mounted in said frame.

2. In combination with a locomotive body having an opening formed in thefront end thereof, a door frame mounted in said opening and pivotallyconnected at its lower end to said body, said frame having its outersurface arranged to extend substantially flush with the front end of thebody when in retracted position, and being adapted when moved toextended position to project outwardly from the body to form anenclosure through which ingress or egress may be had to the interior ofthe body, and a door swingably mounted in said frame.

3. In combination with a locomotive body having an opening formed in thefront end thereof, a door frame movably supported in said opening, saidframe having its outer surface arranged to extend substantially fiushwith the front end of the body when in retracted position, and beingadapted when moved to extended position to project outwardly from thebody to form an enclosure through which ingress or egress may be had tothe interior .of the body, means adapted to seal the clearance spacesbetween said frame and the edges of the opening, and a door swingablymounted in said frame.

4. In combination with a locomotive body having an opening formed in thefront end thereof, a door frame mounted in said opening and pivotallyconnected at its lower end to said body, said frame having its outersurface .arranged to extend substantially ush with the front end of thebody when in retracted position, and being adapted when moved toextended position to project outwardly from the body to form anenclosure through which ingress or egress may be had to the interior ofthe body, a door swingably mounted in said frame, and a resilientsealing strip carried by said frame and adapted to'be engaged by saiddoor when the latter is in closed position.

5. In combination with a locomotive bodyhaving an opening formed in thefront end thereof, a door frame movably supported in said opening, saidframe having its outer surface arranged to extend substantially iushwith the front end of the body when in retracted position', and beingadapted when moved to extended position to project outwardly from thebody to form an enclosure through which ingress or egress may be had tothe interior of the body, means adapted to seal the clearance spacesIbetween said frame and the edges of the opening, a door swingablymounted in said frame, and means adapted to seal the clearance spacesbetween said frame and said door when the latter is in closed position.

6. In combination with a locomotive body having an opening formed in thefront end thereof, a door frame supported in said opening and movable totwo positions therein, said frame having its outer surface arranged toextend substantially flush with the front end of the body when inretracted position, and being adapted when moved to extended position toproject outwardly from the body to form an enclosure through whichingress or egress may be had to the interior of the body, means adaptedto seal the clearance spaces between the edges of the opening and saidframe when the latter is in either of the two positions, and a doorswingably mounted in said frame.

7. In combination with a locomotive body having an opening formed in thefront end thereof, sealing means secured to said body around the edge ofsaid opening, a door frame supported in said opening and adapted to bemoved to two positions therein, said frame having its outer surfacearranged to extend substantially flush with the front end of the bodywhen in retracted position, and being adapted when moved to extendedposition to project outwardly from the body to form an enclosurethroughwhich ingress or egress may be had to the interior of the body,and inner and outer projecting surfaces formed on said frame, said innerprojecting surface being adapted to contact said sealing means when theframe is in one position and said outer projecting surface being adaptedto contact said sealing means when the frame is in the other position.

8. In combination with a locomotive body having an opening formed in thefrontend thereof, a pair of sealing strips secured to said body aroundthe edge of said opening, a door frame supported in said opening andadapted to be moved to two positions therein, said frame having itsouter surface arranged to extend substantially flush with the front endof the body when in retracted position, and being adapted when moved toextended position to project outwardly from the body to form anenclosure through which ingress or egress may be had to the interior ofthe body, and inner and outer projecting surfaces formed on said frame,said inner projecting surface being adapted to contact one of saidsealing strips when the frame is in one position and said outerprojecting surface being adapted to contact the other of said sealingstrips when the frame isv in the other position.

MARTIN P. BLOMBERG.

